Take My Hand
by Buttersketch
Summary: When some of Annie's crops go missing, she and Klaus set up a stakeout to try and catch the thief in the act.
The spring morning was still and cool. It was still early in the season and winter's chill had not gone away entirely. A light mist hung in the air and despite her warm sweater, Annie shivered. She had a full day ahead of her; she'd already tended to her animals, but she still had to harvest some of her crops and water and fertilize the rest, then when all that was done, she had to go to the trade depot to sell her goods. She worked quickly to help ward off the cold.

"The turnips are ready today," she reminded herself. Living alone, she'd gotten into the habit of talking out loud to herself as she worked.

She walked over to the corner of the field where the turnips had been planted, but when she arrived, the plot was empty. Annie frowned. The thought that she had already harvested her turnips briefly crossed her mind, but she dismissed it. Annie knew that was impossible. She kept close track of when she planted her crops and knew when they were mature. She noticed something on the ground and knelt down to get a better look. It was a footprint, somewhat larger than her own, but it was impossible to make out any details.

Annie sighed noisily, a gusty sound that seemed to come from the very tips of her toes. Tears stung at her eyes, but she blinked them back. Now wasn't the time to cry.

She hurried through the rest of her chores. As she worked she banged and stomped and that seemed to alieve her feelings somewhat. When she was done, she washed up, changed her clothes and began the walk to town. As she walked, she went over her plans- she still had to go to the trade depot, but now she had to stop at Otmar's store to buy turnip seeds. And she had a gift for Klaus in her bag as well. Annie knew she should have done her work first, but after her morning, she needed to see Klaus.

The scent of Klaus's home washed over Annie as she entered. Klaus was always mixing up new perfumes and the odor clung to everything. At first it seemed overwhelming, but now Annie was used to it. She found Klaus hard at work at his desk; he didn't even hear her come in. Annie was very tempted to sneak over and kiss Klaus's cheek, but checked her impulse. They weren't even officially dating yet and that seemed too bold. In the end, she simply tapped him on the shoulder.

"Good morning, Annie" he said with a smile as he turned around in his chair.

"Good morning, Klaus," she replied, reaching into her bag. "Here's some, um, turnip, I mean, carrot juice. Whoever heard of turnip juice? Not me."

"Thank you, very much," Klaus said, setting the glass on the table. He reached for Annie's hand. "Are you quite all right? You seem a little..." Klaus trailed off, unsure of the word he wanted.

Annie hesitated a moment, then told Klaus about the missing turnips and the footprint. Klaus listened without saying a word, but as Annie talked, his expression grew more and more solemn.

"I see...this is quite serious," Klaus said when Annie's story was over. "In times like these I wish we had a police force in Oak Tree Town. I supposed we could bring the issue to Veronica's attention..."

He trailed off and was quiet for a moment. "Do you have any crops that will mature soon?"

"Yes, my potatoes will be ready tomorrow."

"Good. My plan is a simple one...we'll simply set up watch and see if the thief returns."

Annie considered a moment...the chance to catch the thief and spend time alone with Klaus? "It sounds good to me!" she said eagerly.

"Good. I'll be at your farm at...is seven all right?" Klaus asked with a smile.

"Yes, seven is fine."

"Seven it is, then."

Annie spent the rest of the day with her head in the clouds. There was so much to do... she still had to buy seeds and sell her goods. But her mind was mainly on Klaus. Should she serve food? Not a full meal, but maybe a snack? Maybe tea would be better, to help them stay warm and alert. And what should she wear? It was silly to get dressed up for a stakeout, she must have something cute and practical...

Annie was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice her growing hunger until she left the trade depot. She wasn't far from Raeger's restaurant and delicious scents were wafting in the air. She turned towards the restaurant without hesitation. As she drew nearer, she saw Fritz walking over and she waved at him.

"Hi, Fritz, are you going in to?"

"Um, no...I'm just gonna sit out here and smell the air," Fritz replied, looking down at his boots. They were covered with mud.

"Fritz..." Annie sighed. "Come on, my treat!"

"No! No... that's...it's okay, really!"

"Fritz," Annie said sternly. She and Fritz were about the same age, but while Annie had a successful farm and a comfortable life, Fritz just barely scraped by, even though he'd been farming for longer than she had.

"Actually, I just remembered...I have to water my … thing. Bye!"

Fritz rushed off. As she watched him go, a thought came to her, but Annie pushed it away. That was impossible.

The restaurant was busier than normal and Annie didn't have a chance to chat with Raeger as she ate her snack. It was just as well. She had a hunch it was best not to tell many people about the theft.

A few hours later, she and Klaus were seated at her kitchen table, sipping tea. Annie had brewed the tea from leaves she'd tea bushes she'd planted with her own two hands and in her opinion, it tatsted better than any tea she'd ever had in the city. Klaus's overcoat was off, draped elegantly on a chair and as he blew on the tea to cool it, he looked more casual and relaxed than Annie had ever seen him.

"Klaus, what if...what if the thief puts up a fight?" Annie asked. "I'm pretty strong, but I've never actually fought anyone before."

"I hope it won't come down to that, but if need be, I know how to take care of myself in a fight," Klaus replied.

"You can?" Annie couldn't quite keep the doubt from her voice.

"It may seem hard to believe, but I did my share of fighting when I was younger."

"You did?"

"Yes,"Klaus replied. "...It was a long time ago and I was a different person."

Something in his voice told Annie not to press any further, though she was bursting with curiosity now. Klaus was always so calm, reserved, so refined. It was hard enough to imagine him losing his temper, and picturing him actually fighting stretched Annie's imagination almost to the breaking point.

Before she could think any further on the matter, Klaus rose from his chair, shoving it to the side with enough force that it wobbled for a moment. "There's someone in your yard!" he exclaimed.

Annie stood. They were in clear view of the front window and by the light of the full moon, they could see a human figure stooping over Annie's vegetables. The figure was pulling crops out and stuffing them in his bag. Annie gasped. She and Klaus ran for the door.

"Stop thief!" Annie shrieked. The person – who WAS it? -turned their head, then broke off in a run, dashing through Annie's crops. He jumped over them, taking care not to actually trample anything. She and Klaus gave chase, but they went they long way around, past Annie's neat plots of vegetables. Annie was fast, but Klaus was faster still and he overtook the thief, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him to a stop.

"Fritz?" Annie gasped when she caught up to them and finally got a good look at the thief. Klaus held Fritz's arm, but Fritz made no attempt to escape, slumping slightly in Klaus's tight grip. "Fritz, how COULD you?"

Fritz didn't reply. He turned his head away from Annie and Klaus and slumped over even more. Klaus gave him a shake.

"What is the meaning of this, Fritz?" Klaus demanded.

"I...I was hungry. I spent all my money on seeds, every last cent...and then I realized I didn't hardly have any food..."

"So you stole from me?"

"I was gonna pay you back..."

"That still doesn't make what you did right, Fritz," Klaus said, but his voice was less stern and he let go of Fritz's arm.

"I know...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I was just- just so hungry!" With this, Fritz slumped to the ground and began to cry. Annie and Klaus looked at Fritz, then at each other. Annie gave a little shrug. Klaus thought for a moment, then knelt down on the ground besides Fritz.

"I know what it's like to be hungry and desperate," Klaus said in a low voice.

"Yeah right," Fritz sobbed.

"I know how hard it can be to swallow your pride and ask for help, but looking back, wouldn't it have been easier to ask for food than to go through this?"

"Yes,"

Annie and Klaus waited for Fritz to get himself under control. Klaus continued to kneel besides Fritz, but Annie stood apart, hugging herself against the chilly night.

"What are you gonna do? Tell Veronica?" Fritz asked, when he had finally calmed down.

Klaus looked at Annie. She shook her head."As far as I'm concerned, no one else needs to know," she said. "Fritz, you can keep those crops you took tonight and you don't have to pay me back for any of them."

"Y-you mean it? Gee, thanks!" For a moment, Fritz was his old sunny self, but then he saw the expression on Annie's face and he knew he'd done lasting damage to their friendship.

"I, I have to know, Fritz? Why ME? I thought we were friends."

"I didn't mean to, exactly. I just...Eda used to let me take crops or eggs if I was hungry. I didn't even have to ask. And I was so hungry yesterday that somehow...I know it sounds crazy, but I somehow forgot that Eda died. I didn't remember until I got here and saw that her house was gone and I was...I was just so hungry that I thought I could...borrow some of your crops and-"

"Borrow?"

"I meant to repay you, I really did!" Fritz insisted. "I'm, I'm really sorry."

Annie had had enough. Without speaking another word, she turned around and began to walk back to the house.

"I think you had better go now," Klaus said to Fritz. Fritz nodded and rose to his feet, brushing the dirt off of his knees. As he began to walk away, Klaus spoke again. "Fritz, if you're ever in trouble like this again, come to me. Don't be afraid to ask for help."

"Right. I will thanks," Fritz replied. He sounded like he might start to cry again.

Klaus watched Fritz walk away for a moment, then he crossed the fields and entered Annie's house. Klaus found her kneeling on the floor, much as Fritz had been, her thin shoulders shaking with sobs. He knelt beside her, placing a hand on her back. Annie whirled around and threw her arms around him, buried her face into his chest and began to sob. Klaus settled her in his lap and let her cry it out. Gradually, her crying subsided, but she remained seated in Klaus's lap.

"Y-you smell good," she whispered, glad that her face was hidden. She could feel her face growing warm.

"Thank you. It's a new scent," Klaus murmured.

"I'm glad you were here tonight," Annie said, pulling her face away and looking up at Klaus. "You know, it's only been a little over a year since I came to Oak Tree Town. I've met a lot of people and made a lot of friends. Fritz was...he was one of the first people I met after I moved here. Eda wanted us to be friends...No, she wanted us to be MORE than friends, but I never felt that way. Do you know why?"

"I think I do."

Annie reached up and pulled Klaus's head towards hers and kissed him, not on the cheek, as she had wanted to earlier, but a real kiss on his lips. When they pulled away, Klaus's face was red.

"Annie, I have something I want to say. This may not be the best time, but it's something I've been wanting to say for a long time...Annie, I love you. I know we have a large gap in our ages and that may be an issue but-"

Annie cut him off with another kiss. "I don't care about that!"

"Does this mean you return my feelings?"

"Yes, you big silly!" Annie said, wrapping her arms around Klaus. "I've 'returned your feelings' for a long time. I actually was on the verge of confessing myself."

"Were you really?" Klaus said in amazement;

"I really was," Annie replied. She snuggled against Klaus, breathing in his scent. The new fragrance he wore was somehow familiar. It was the same sensation that Klaus had evoked from the first time Annie had met him. Strange yet familiar. It was an odd sensation, but not at all unpleasant.

It had been a long exhausting day...Good things had come out of-it, but Annie also grieved for the friendship she had had with Fritz. Someday, perhaps, they could be friends, but that day was a long day off and things would never be the same between her and Fritz.

Her relationship with Klaus was altered too. It was a little scary to think about, but it was exciting too. She and Klaus were starting something new and Annie knew that no matter what, Klaus would always be there for her, hand in hand for the rest of their lives.


End file.
